This article can be found in "The Science Teacher" in the April/May 2007 publication. The article stressed the tragic rate of dropouts in the US and their reasons for not staying in school. The article was bases on a report from Civic Enterprises in March 2006. The study reported that 88% of dropouts had passing grades but stated they were to bored to stay in school. The study reported the one out of every three high school students will not graduate with their class. Then for African Americans and Latinos the numbers reach fifty percent. The study also reported the shocking future for these individuals. High school dropouts are more likely to live in poverty, have poor health and an average salary of $22,903.
The reason for high school dropouts vary greatly from, financial problems, early parenthood, low levels of parent involvment, discipline problems and other personal issues. However one reason teachers and schools can actively try to fix is students being bored. Students complained of classroom instruction not being relevant to their lives. One way to provide relevant instruction is through community service learning, such as, internships and service learning projects. Many students wished there were more oportunities to learn outside school walls. Communtiy service learning has the most positive impact when it is fully intergrated into academic studies and linked to content standards instead of being add ons or a form of punishment.
Reflection:
This article is very short but it has a big point. This article pushes for more learning opportunities for students outside the classroom and outside the core courses. Many students will stay in school for internship opporunites, art classes, or an automotive program. For many high school students their future will not hold a college education, which is not neccessary to be a sucessful person. High schools need to focus on producing, active learners that are problem solvers and motivated. Every individual is different school need to provide a number of avenues for students to persue. Unfortunately when a school needs to make a budget cut tech programs and art and music department are usually the first one to recieve cuts. If high school want to fix there dropout rates they need to provide several ways for the students to learn and grow.
The reason for high school dropouts vary greatly from, financial problems, early parenthood, low levels of parent involvment, discipline problems and other personal issues. However one reason teachers and schools can actively try to fix is students being bored. Students complained of classroom instruction not being relevant to their lives. One way to provide relevant instruction is through community service learning, such as, internships and service learning projects. Many students wished there were more oportunities to learn outside school walls. Communtiy service learning has the most positive impact when it is fully intergrated into academic studies and linked to content standards instead of being add ons or a form of punishment.
Reflection:
This article is very short but it has a big point. This article pushes for more learning opportunities for students outside the classroom and outside the core courses. Many students will stay in school for internship opporunites, art classes, or an automotive program. For many high school students their future will not hold a college education, which is not neccessary to be a sucessful person. High schools need to focus on producing, active learners that are problem solvers and motivated. Every individual is different school need to provide a number of avenues for students to persue. Unfortunately when a school needs to make a budget cut tech programs and art and music department are usually the first one to recieve cuts. If high school want to fix there dropout rates they need to provide several ways for the students to learn and grow.